The Story Goes On
by Saturnspaz
Summary: <html><head></head>Set seven years after Free! Eternal Summer, Haruka is living alone with his daughter. However, a reunion with Gou might change the way both of them think. Norie is determined to make Gou her mother, even if it means dragging her friends into her plan. But what happens when Haruka and Gou start to fall for each other, without her help? The love after the Eternal Summer. Haruka x Gou</html>
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! As promised, here is the HaruGou fanfiction. I'm so sorry for making you guys wait! I told you guys that I would start writing after Free Eternal Summer ended, but I thought that would be two Wednesdays ago. So, I hope you guys understand what I was trying to do! Thank you Kyoto Animation for creating such an anime. It made me happy and taught me lessons that I couldn't learn anywhere else. :3 Anyway, I guess this would be considered a next generation story. (Which is my favorite topic to think about.) This story's made for all of those HaruGou fans out there, duh, but also dedicated to two people in general.**

**1.)****Galaxy-Eyes11**: **Galaxy-chan helped me out with developing this idea. Seriously, I told her just about everything I was planning. I just realized I probably spoiled a lot of things for her. Thanks a ton Galaxy-san, you have no idea how much this has helped me!**

**2.)****Berry9704****: As everyone knows by now, she created my favorite HaruGou story ever, "How to Win a Hydrophile's Heart." Sadly though, she deleted it. :( So, I decided to dedicate this fanfiction to her because that story inspired this one. Thank you for writing that story; it's been an honor for me to talk to you. That story really was great. :3 **

**That's all I think. After this; I'm telling you now, I will most likely not update quickly. I will only update on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. But, I have a habit of switching "moods", as I like to call them, so sometimes I won't upload a chapter for weeks or even months. But, I won't abandon the story, I WILL FINISH IT. With that said, let's get to the story!**

_"__The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you will see."_

_-Winston Churchill_

"My hand thrusts through the sky, each stroke being stronger than the last. The stars envelope my body, my mind, my soul. I close my eyes; letting it conquer. I could feel myself flying, and I could see myself falling. I was _free_." The person's thoughts were soon interrupted when she gasped for air. Opening her eyes, she could see the clear liquid flow endlessly around her.

"What did you swim in today, Nori-chan?" She heard a voice ask. Looking up, she saw a small boy with a freckled face and eyes as green as jades; looking similar to someone she already knew.

"The sky." She answered. The boy smiled.

"Pretty!" He held out his hand to the girl. "Come on, everyone's left already." Norie looked around the building, seeing nothing but puddles of water on the floor. She had obviously been swimming in the 'sky' for a while. She looked at the boy's hand, but then turned and dove back into the water. "Eh-Nori-chan!" He called out after her, but it was no use. That girl was lost in her own little world. The boy sighed. "Daddy, Nori-chan's not coming out of the water!" He paused. "Again!"

"It must be hereditary." A man groaned with a hand on his head. He sped walked over to where the two kids were. "Norie, we have to go now!" He reminded the girl in the water, but she didn't listen. She continued to swim through her vision. Makoto sighed. "Norie, please don't be difficult!" Norie stopped and stared at her friend's father, then made a face similar to a pout. Then, she swam over to the side of the pool and pulled herself up. "Thank you." Makoto said relieved. "Change quickly, alright? We need to hurry!" Makoto went off to make sure they had everything, while Norie stood up from the water.

"Here." Kotarou said handing Norie a towel. She took it and started drying herself off.

"Thanks." She thanked. The boy smiled in response. Norie looked at Kotarou. "Daddy's….coming home today, right?"

"Yeah; that's why we wanted you to-"He was interrupted, however, by Norie speeding past him as if her life depended on it. "Wait, Nori-chan! You shouldn't run while you're still wet!" He shouted running after her. "Nori-chan!"

"Uncle Mako!" Norie called out. She ran through the hallways almost falling a couple of times. "Uncle Mako!" She was finally able to find him outside.

"Norie, why aren't you dressed yet?" Makoto asked the dark haired girl. She jumped up and down, somehow not slipping.

"Are we going to go see daddy?!" She asked excitedly. Her expression remained indifferent, but Makoto could tell by her eyes that she couldn't wait any longer. He smiled at her.

"Of course we are!" Norie didn't stop hopping. She turned around and shouted, "Kotarou, hurry up!"

"I'm coming!" He said running towards them. "You run to fast!" He stopped once he reached Norie, and stared at her. "Nori-chan, why are you jumping?"

"Doesn't matter." She said still bouncing. She turned towards Makoto again. "Are we leaving now?" The orca laughed at her enthusiasm. Just about everything about her reminded him of Haru. You could definitely tell she was his daughter.

"Yes; get in the car." The two excitedly climbed in and quickly tried to buckle themselves in. Norie had little trouble getting situated, Kotarou, on the other hand, didn't have the best of luck and needed help by his father. After a few minutes, they were on their way. Norie was stuck looking out the window; easily fascinated with everything that went by. Kotarou was doing the same, just maybe not as fascinated as his friend in the other seat. "Have you two decided what stroke you want to do?" Makoto asked the kids. They perked up once they heard that the conversation was directed towards them. Up until now, they had just been learning how to swim. Next week or so, they'll be learning a specific stroke.

"Freestyle." Norie answered with sparkles in her eyes.

"Ah, I sort of figured." Makoto sighed. "What about you, Kotarou?"

"Um, I don't know." He said fiddling with his fingers. "Maybe Butterfly…." He turned his attention back to the window, ignoring the topic at hand.

"I see; well, you don't need to decide right away." Makoto assured, mainly to Kotarou, but to both of theme nonetheless. The rest of the drive was fairly quiet, except for the radio playing. There were a couple of times where Makoto had to stop the car because of what was going on in the back seats. One reason was because of fighting, another reason was because of Norie opening the car door about to jump out; while the car was moving! Honestly, Makoto was glad it became quieter the longer the drive went. Kotarou was easy to deal with, but Norie was a different story. Makoto groaned. Mainly from stress.

After about thirty minutes, they arrived at their destination; the airport. Makoto parked the car and stepped out, heading to the back.

"You guys still awake?" Makoto practically laughed. The two looked half dead, their eyes fluttering between closed and opened. When they heard Makoto's voice, however, their heads, which were once down, shot up. Kotarou rubbed his eyes.

"I'm awake." He yawned.

"Whe-are whe?" Norie slurred, barely staying awake.

"We're here to see you daddy!" Makoto said hoping to get her up. The girl's silver opals widened at the sentence.

"Really?" She asked. The man smiled, his famous smile, and answered, "Yes." Suddenly, Norie became filled with energy. Mainly from excitement. "Uncle Mako, open the door." Makoto leaned in through the window.

"What's the magic word?" Makoto teased. The young swimmer sighed.

"Please?" After she spoke, Makoto opened the door to the car. He held out his hand, offering to help her out. She took it and stepped out.

"Don't move." Makoto ordered Norie as he went to the other side to get his son. "Kotarou, come on." He said shaking him a bit. The boy glanced up at his father with glazed eyes. Then, he held his hands in the air. "*sigh* alright." Makoto lifted Kotarou up and into his arms. "Ugh, jeez, you're getting heavy." With Kotarou in his arms, he walked over to the other side of the car, where he saw Norie rocking back and forth on her feet. "Alright, come on, Norie." He said holding out his hand. She took it willingly, and they walked off.

Later on, they waited in the terminal for a certain someone to appear. They didn't wait for long, because just about six minutes later, Norie went sprinting towards a section of the building.

"Daddy!" She shouted, lunging for the person in front of her. She hugged his legs tightly.

"Hey, Norie." The man replied. He then picked the girl up off the floor and kissed her head.

"How was your competition?" She asked. He held up four fingers for her to see.

"Fourth place." He answered. She flopped onto her father's shoulders; groaning. "It's not a bad position, Norie." He told her. In response, she nuzzled into his neck. Almost as if she wasn't paying attention.

"Welcome back, Haru!" Makoto exclaimed to his best friend. Haruka smiled, it faded though, realizing one thing. He turned towards his daughter.

"You didn't cause trouble for Makoto, did you?" She shook her head no. Not fully believing it, he turned towards Makoto.

"Eh…..she was good for the most part." Makoto assured him. Haruka nodded.

"Good." He said. "Thanks for watching her by the way."

"Anytime." The conversation halted to a stop, hearing the boy in Makoto's arms yawn. "I should get Kotarou home, he's had a long day." He said turning around. "Have a good night, Haru."

"Bye, Uncle Mako." Norie waved; Makoto waved back.

"Bye, Norie." With that, Haruka and Norie made their way home also.

When Haruka and his daughter got home, the moon had already appeared over the horizon, and the stars were fully visible. They walked up the stairs to the door, unlocked it, and tiredly stepped inside.

"Are you going to sleep, daddy?" The dark haired child asked.

"I'm going to stay up a bit." He answered her. Norrie nodded and then jumped on the couch. "What do you think you're doing?" Haruka asked her. She looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "You're not staying up, you're going to bed." He said pulling her off the couch.

"But I'm not tired yet." She said trying to convince him.

"I doubt it." He retorted. Norie pouted while Haruka took her to her room. She didn't complain at all, just acted like this was the worst thing that could ever happen. Once they appeared in front of her room, Haruka opened it and then laid her on the bed. "There." Haruka said after tucking her in. After that, he headed for the door.

"Goodnight, daddy." She said before he left. "I love you."

"Love you too." Haruka said smiling. After saying goodnight, he closed the door and then dragged himself to his room. Once he got in, he plopped on the bed and fell right to sleep.

Later on, the sun begun to wake again, forcing the moon out of its place. The sun's light shown through the window, setting a glare on Haruka's face. Also causing him to wake up from his slumber. Haruka propped himself up on the bed, but then fell back down. He was too tired to do anything today. Then, he heard the sound of the door opening, and then little pit patters across the carpet. He opened one eye to see a pair of silver ones staring back. Without a word, he stood up from the bed and walked out of the room with Norie behind him.

"You have school today, don't you?" He asked turning to face her. She nodded, and he sighed. "Alright, go get ready." She nodded again and scurried off to get dressed. He, on the other hand, went to the kitchen to make her lunch. He went to the fridge first, but sighed, again, when he opened it. "Crap, I have to go to the store." A short groan of frustration escaped his lips. Oh well, he'll just have to make something with what they had. After a few minutes, Norie came out wearing light blue jeans, a white sweater with pink and orange stars on it, and white moccasins. Including her icy blue backpack. Haruka quickly finished the bento and went to go put it in Norie's backpack.

"No, I want to hold it." She said holding her arms out. Confused, he gave her the bento anyway.

"Do you have your bathing suit for after school?" He asked. Norie didn't say anything, which meant no. "Go get it quickly." Haruka ordered. After that, she rushed into her room to find her bathing suit. Then, there was a quite knock at the door. He stared at it for a minute or two before getting up to get it. Once he opened it, he saw a familiar little boy standing there.

"Good morning, uncle Haru." He greeted. "Is Nori-chan here?"

"She's getting her bathing suit." He said to him. Ironically, Norie came out after he spoke. She rushed to the door, and to her best friend.

"Hi, Kotarou." She said. Kotarou smiled brightly.

"Hi, Nori-chan!" He replied back. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah." She turned around to face her father. "Bye, daddy." He bent down to allow her to kiss him goodbye.

"Have a good day." He said after she walked out the door.

"You too." And then they were walking away. Haruka stayed at the foot of the door, just to make sure nothing happened to them. Then, he stepped inside and closed the door. Unfortunately, he had stuff he needed to get done today, so he couldn't stay in the house for long. Well, better to get it done now than to wait later. So, after the decision was made, he grabbed his wallet from off the counter and headed outside.

Haruka was doing what every guy hated doing. No guy liked to shop, at least none that knew. Not to mention that buying groceries was a pain anyway. It was just an off day so far. While going through one of the aisles, something intriguing caught his eye. He turned to his right, to see one of his obsessions in a tank. Hint: it wasn't mackerel. His eyes glistened at the sight of it, and the urge for feeling it around him was strong. His hand shakily reached up to his shirt, but the other hand grabbed it.

"Resist the urge." He told himself. "It's _just_ water." Just water wasn't going to cut it. Water was more than water to him. He was practically losing blood circulation in his hand; why did he still have this habit? When he had lost the will to contain himself, he suddenly saw a figure that distracted him from stripping in public. Strange thing about this figure though, he had a feeling he had seen it before, or at least someone that looked similar. He tilted his head in state of thinking. Cranberry colored hair, piercing red eyes, and she was tall-ish-and thin. God damn it, where was she from? How did he know her? Suddenly, the woman turned and locked eyes with his. She had a look of surprise, or shock on her face.

"H-Haruka senpai?!" She stuttered. Wait…..

_"__Oh, Haru-chan wasn't with us yesterday." The blonde remembered sitting at the table. "This is Rin's sister." _

_"__L-long time no see." She stuttered. Haruka stared at her._

_"__Matsuoka." She stared back intensely. "Kou." Then, a huge smile appeared on the girl's pristine face._

_"__Yes!"_

Haruka blinked a few times, almost not fully believing it.

"Kou?" He said as she jogged up to him.

"You remember me!" She exclaimed. "Oh my god, it's been forever since I've last seen you! How many years has it been, seven or eight?" Haruka nodded.

"Seven." He confirmed.

"Wow, has it really? You don't look that much different." She giggled. Haruka could admit that he hadn't changed much since high school, but he was definitely busier than when he was in high school. "So, how've you been?" She asked.

"I've been good." Haruka answered her. "Haven't been getting much sleep, but I progress. How about you?" She looked down.

"I'll admit, I've been better." She admitted.

"What happened?" She fiddled with her fingers.

"I-I just got out of a relationship, it's no big deal!" She assured. Now, he didn't exactly think that it was _no big deal_, but he didn't want to push it any further.

"Do you have a job?" He questioned. To his surprise, she perked up and did a pose; all happily and full of pride.

"I'm a personal trainer!" She announced so loudly that everyone in the store could hear. He squinted his eyes.

"Define _personal trainer_." He suspiciously.

"Oh, um, I work with people at the gym." Of course, of course she has a career involving muscles. How did he not see it coming? Seriously, how did he not see it? He sighed.

"Figures." She pouted at his choice of words.

"Well, Haruka senpai, I'd like to know what _your _occupation is." She retorted sarcastically.

"Professional swimmer." He stated plainly. That's when he saw her smirk.

"Hmph, figures." She started to laugh afterwards, he just rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on; that was good." That's when Haruka smiled. Yep, Kou didn't change a bit. "So….." She started up again. "What are you doing here?" Haruka stared at her like she just asked the most rhetorical question in history.

"Getting food." He answered holding up the shopping basket. Then, he saw Gou slap her forehead.

"Well, duh, Kou!" She scolded herself. As she was scolding herself for being so dumb, she noticed that Haruka was wearing a ring on one of his fingers. She stared flabbergasted. "Ha-Haruka senpai, you're married?!" He stared at her, surprised with the sudden question. He lifted up his hand and looked at it.

"No." He answered. She looked at him confused.

"Engaged?" Haruka shook his head. "Then….why do you-"

"I _was _engaged." He attempted to clear the situation. She still seemed to be a little confused.

"So, you broke up with her?" She inquired. He shook his head once again. Gou stood in a state of thought, and then she finally realized what he meant. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She said quietly.

"Its fine, it happens." He reassured her. Automatically wanting to change the subject, Gou thought of something quick to ask.

"Do you want to get a drink somewhere?" She questioned.

"Um…..sure." By the way she was acting, he knew that she felt uncomfortable with the previous subject, and it's not like he wasn't either, but he didn't see it as that big of a deal. They went to a nearby Starbucks in the area, Gou got a Pumpkin Spice latte, and Haruka got the regular black tea. Once they got their order, they sat down at one of the tables outside.

"Mm, have you tried this yet, Haruka senpai?" Gou inquired pointing to her beverage. Haruka shook his head no.

"I don't like coffee." He said taking a sip of his tea.

"Hm, well, you're missing out." She said in between sips. "This stuff is like heaven in a cup." She took another gulp on the latte, then put it down. "Do you keep in contact with Makoto senpai?"

"Everyday." He responded.

"Really; everyday?" She questioned. "How so?"

"Norie's coached by him." He explained. "And he watches her when I go to a competition."

"Who's Norie?" Gou asked the dolphin. He picked up his tea.

"My daughter." Bringing it up to his lips, he suddenly heard Gou slam her hands on the table, shocking him, and causing him to spill some of his drink.

"Y-y-you have a daughter?!" She yelled. Haruka gazed at her wide eyed, and he slowly nodded. "Bu-but I thought you-"Haruka put the tea down and grabbed a napkin from the table.

"She passed away while giving birth." He whispered avoiding her gaze. He saw Gou put her hands over her mouth.

"I-I'm so sorry, Haruka senpai." She apologized. "I didn't mean to bring it up." He stood up from the table.

"It's fine; don't worry about it." He continued wiping his shirt. "I need to go, I have stuff I need to get done." Gou's face had a look of guilt and shock.

"Ah, I'm sorry! Did I do that?" She pointed to the stain on his shirt.

"No, it's alright." He tried, but Gou was already up from the table.

"Here, I'll help carry the groceries for causing you trouble." She insisted picking up some of the bags.

"Kou, you don't-"But, his words were lost in the void. Gou wasn't going to listen to him. He sighed and picked up the rest of the bags, following behind Gou. "You don't know where my house is." He said walking in front of her.

"Then, I'll just follow you!"

By the time the two arrived at Haruka's house, it was already mid-day. He opened the door to the house and walked in, followed by a struggling Gou. When she came in, the first thing she did was put the bags on the counter.

"Ugh, I didn't know your house was that far away from the store!" She complained. Haruka did the same with his bags; setting them on the counter.

"I told you you didn't have to." Haruka told her. She glared at the man in annoyance.

"Be grateful I helped you." She muttered. Gou, suddenly, took a look around the house from where she was. "Nice house." Haruka simply shrugged, and started putting the stuff away. Gou was quick to react and started helping him.

"Kou, I got it, you can go home." He said grabbing a can of pineapples from her hand. (Some things never change.) Gou glared at him.

"So, you're ignoring my kindness? I see how it is." She said overdramatically. Haruka stared, nonchalantly. He continued to put stuff away, listening to Gou's dramatic sentences. Over time, she stopped and continued to help put stuff away; even if Haruka didn't ask for it. When they finished, Haruka thanked Gou anyway for the unrequested help. "No problem!" She insisted. "I always knew you were the type to not change much." Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Don't give me that look, I saw all that mackerel and pineapple you bought!"

"So?" He questioned. He saw Gou's hand go flying in the air.

"Oh, oh, remember when we held that training camp, and you brought a whole cooler filled with mackerel?! And you acted as if it were completely normal?!" She questioned excitedly. He nodded. "Oh my god, and the time where I held that surprise bento check, and all you had in your bento was rice and mackerel!" Haruka nodded, smiling at the memories. Gou was in a fit of laughter, though he didn't understand why, eating mackerel and pineapple wasn't abnormal.

"What happened after Makoto and I left?" He wondered.

"Oh, that's right! Well, we got a ton of new swimmers, Nagisa and Rei did a great job dragging them in!" She described. "I remember one time, where one of the swimmers couldn't swim, and when Rei tried to explain it to him, he fell asleep in the water!" Haruka chuckled while Gou cracked up. "It wasn't the same without you guys, but it was still pretty fun." Just then, they heard the front door open, and when they turned towards it, they saw a little girl frozen in the doorway.

"Norie, what are you doing home?" Haruka asked. She pointed out the door, like she was pointing at the school, when she really wasn't.

"They called school off because of a sev….e….er storm warning." She explained. "Daddy, who's that?" Haruka looked at Gou, and then back to Norie.

"Oh, Norie, this is Kou. Kou, this is my daughter, Norie." He introduced.

"This is your daughter?" Gou questioned. Haruka nodded. "She looks exactly like you!" She walked up to the child and bent down. "Hello, Norie; my name's Kou, it's nice to meet you!" She held out her hand, and Norie shook it. She continued to stare at Gou with interest, then, she turned towards her father.

"Daddy, can I go to Kotarou's house?" She asked.

"I don't care." He said. "Just be back before dark." With that, she flung her backpack across the floor and ran out the door. Gou and Haruka stared out the door, following Norie's sudden energy.

"She gave me a look." Gou started. "I don't think she likes me." Haruka shrugged at her comment. "I'm serious!"

Norie was sprinting towards her destination. She had her mind set on one thing, and nothing was going to distract her from it. After passing a few more sidewalk, she finally arrived at the residence. Before she did anything else, she calmed herself down and caught her breath, then she knocked. She waited a few minutes before someone answered.

"Norie, here for Kotarou?" Makoto inquired. She nodded hastily. Makoto turned and called out, "Kotarou, Norie's here!" Then he looked back at her with the sweetest of smiles. "He'll be down in second, alright?" They, suddenly, heard footsteps coming down the stairs. They both saw the boy jump over the last two steps, then he ran to the door.

"Hey, Nori-chan!" He waved. Running out, Makoto said he had to be back by six, followed by an "I know." "So, what do you want to do, Nori-chan?" He asked his friend. While playing with the grass, he felt a sudden shock when he felt a pair of hands on his shoulder. They forced him to turn around, and he was facing the raven's face. "N-Nori-chan?"

"I need to tell you something." She said in all seriousness.

"What is it?" Kotarou asked worryingly. What came out of her mouth next, he wasn't expecting at all.

"I know who I want my mother to be."

"…..HUH?!"

**Oh my god, I actually finished this. I finished the chapter! Yay! Honestly, this is the longest chapter I have ever written. I, again, apologize for making you guys wait. Hopefully, you guys understand my frustrations of making this story perfect. :) You guys want to know a secret? I snuck the computer to finish this. I knew I was going to be mad at myself if I didn't get this story in SOON, so I finished it in secret. Y.O.U'.R.E W.E.L.C.O.M.E. Well, I hope you liked this chapter. R&R is highly appreciated, thanks for reading! See ya! :3**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I have some big news! Wait for it, *dramatic pause*. I'm writing this in my new house! :D Man, it's been a while since I've been able to write something! It feels great! Anyway, I recently read a comic known as "Starfighter", anyone read it? It's awesome! (I don't suggest it for people who don't like yaoi though.) But, the art is amazing and I'm addicted to it. O_O Sorry, I had a moment of fangirling. One thing I want to get past before I start, YuiSeoMugi had a few questions, and even though I already answered them for her, other people might be wondering the same thing, so I'm going to answer them again, but this time so everyone else knows. :) Kay? **

**Q: How old are Norie and Kotarou?**

**A: Norie and Kotarou are in the 5-6 range. I still wanted the original Free characters to be somewhat young, like mid-twenties, and it's just cuter than what I had originally planned. So, yeah. **

**Q: Is Makoto married? And if he is, to whom?**

**A: Makoto is married! He's married to a girl named Chiemi Kudo. And if anyone's wondering how they met…..let's just say they met in college. (More info might be revealed later.) Haha, suspense. ;3 **

**With that said, let's get started! Thank you for the people who have started following, favorite, or just reviewed this story! I really, really appreciate your support! And thank you runyoucleverboyandremember4321 for giving me some advice on this story. :) That, and the fact that some of my ideas were inspired by your collage of HaruGou oneshots. (Sorry, let's just get to the story….) **

_"__Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."_

_-Winnie the Pooh_

Kotarou waited anxiously in his seat, his legs shaking, and his arms stiff. His eyes continuously looked back at the door, only to become more concerned.

"Come on, Nori-chan." He thought to himself. "Where are you?" Just then, a tall woman, probably in late thirties, walked into the room, causing the brunette to panic. She took out a clipboard and mentioned the word that was pure dread for the boy.

"Everyone quiet down so that I may take _attendance_."

Meanwhile, the diamond eyed girl rushed past the citizens on the street; her breathing hoarse, and her face scalding. Her feet were, currently, squishing against the ground, you'd think she would have fallen by now, but she continued to quicken her pace without the worry of a sudden fall.

The teacher kept calling out the names of kids in the room, while Kotarou continued to shake at the thought of Norie not arriving in time. Then, his nightmare became a reality.

"Norie Nanase?" She called out.

The obsidian haired child speedily attempted to dress herself, and by dress herself, I meant she was hopping on one foot trying to get the other shoe on. Along with that, she threw on a mint green t shirt, and hopped into a pair of loose jeans. Not the best choice in clothes, but did she care at the moment? Not in the slightest. Finally reaching her destination, she busted through the doors, and started to run through the hallways to her _next _destination.

"Norie Nanase?" She called again. The room remained silent as the kids looked around in search of the absent child. When she was about to go on to the next name, the class jumped at the sound of the door slamming open. They saw the girl with her hand raised in the doorway.

"I'm here!" She said loud enough for the teacher to hear. She then made her way to her seat, which was a few seats away from Kotarou's. Everyone stared at her, except for Kotarou of course.

"Norie, dear." The teacher started. She looked up at her with a blank expression, along with some of the other students who stared in interest. "Why are you wet?" Some of the kids giggled at the question. Kotarou, on the other hand, put his head down in embarrassment; even though Norie was the one that was supposed to be embarrassed, her friend couldn't help but feel the embarrassment for her.

"I was swimming." She replied to the now awfully confused woman.

"Why were you swimming this early in the morning?" She asked to try and clear things up. Norie thought about it, but she didn't have an answer, or at least an answer that would explain why she was late for school. She just shrugged, as her answer. The teacher sighed at the response. "I'll let you off for today, but don't be late again. Unless you have a reason next time."

"Yes, ma'am." She muttered. The class proceeded to the usual lessons, including the occasional laughter coming from the class. Norie, however, didn't pay attention to a single word she was saying. Her mind was somewhere else, in a different part of the world. Suddenly, without her knowledge, she dove into the crystal blue waters of the Pacific. Eyes closed; embracing the feeling. With each thrust, with each stroke, she felt herself going deeper into the abyss. Then, she saw a unique hue tinted within the water. Her eyes widened; the beauty before her, a sight that was truly breathtaking. The light from above was reflecting off of the smooth surface of a thousand jellyfish! Each one danced in the water with grace and delicacy, flowing around Norie with precision. She found herself mimicking their movements; pirouetting in her own forest of cherry blossoms. Her ocean was a wonder, a creation wanting to be shown to the rest of the world. It was no surprise that this was her getaway when she was in deep thought. While in the middle of her dance, she felt a sudden jolt of pain run through her arm. Then, Norie blinked, and she was back in her classroom. She had completely forgotten where she was, and looked lost in the wide room.

"Nori-chan!" When she heard her name being called, she remembered where she was, and what was going on. She turned to her right to see her best friend standing beside her. "It's time for recess." She sighed in disappointment; realizing, once again, that her daydream wasn't real.

Even when she was outside, she was caught in a state of thought. She couldn't stop thinking about it even if she tried. While in her thinking stage, she cautiously jumped from rock to rock, with Kotarou following behind her. They were the kids that stayed away from everyone else, or Norie was at least. She would prefer to be distant from the other kids, minding her own business. Kotarou was different, but because he always worried for her, he stayed with her. Even if Norie never wanted to go on the swings, or the slide, Kotarou stayed. They made their own fun by themselves. They didn't know why or how they were such good friends; maybe it was because they've basically known each other since they were born, or maybe it's because their dads grew up together and it just sort of happened. Whatever it was, they were happy with how it turned out.

"What do you want to play today, Nori-chan?" The boy asked regaining his balance on one of the rocks. When he did, he noticed that Norie most likely wasn't listening to him. "Nori-chan?"

"Hm." Well, at least she showed some acknowledgment.

"You've been different today, are you ok?" He asked. She didn't know how he could tell she seemed _different_. She acted the same over everything, then again, somehow Makoto knew what her dad was feeling. Huh, must be a Tachibana thing.

"I'm fine." She replied not making eye contact.

"Then, what are you thinking about?" The next thought he had was that she was ok, she just had something on her mind that was bothering her, or she was confused about it. Norie didn't react to his question right away, she, instead, hopped off of her rock and sat on the ground.

"….my mother." She replied. Already knowing what she meant, Kotarou sighed and hopped down next to her.

"Nori-chan, _she's_ not your mother." He groaned. He knew his friend had a very active imagination, but this was a little much.

"Not yet." Kotarou paled at her choice of words. Was…was she serious?

"Not yet?" Kotarou repeated. "Nori, you can't just force two people together, that's not how it works!" Norie viciously glared at the boy, causing him to flinch.

"What do you know?" She questioned. His face became painted with a very light pink; fiddling with his fingers, he found a way to explain his reasoning to her.

"Well, it's like making friends." He explained. "You wouldn't just go up to someone and say that they're your best friend. That would make them feel awkward." Her glare slowly disappeared.

"I guess that makes sense." Kotarou sighed, this time, because all of the tension that was between them was released. "But…." Kotarou looked back at her. "Daddy knew her, she was in our house."

"Nori-chan, why are you so set on having that lady be your mom?" He couldn't help but ask, ever since she met her, her mind's been revolved around her. Or, at least that's what it felt like to him.

"Kotarou, you've always had a mother, you don't know what it's like to not have one." She murmured drawing in the dirt.

"Yeah, but why _her_?" He specified. "Why do you want it to be her?" Once he spoke, the two of them became quiet. Kotarou waiting for an answer, Norie pondering the question at hand. When Kotarou thought that she wouldn't reply, she answered.

"She just looked like a mother to me." Kotarou saw an unknown happiness in her eyes, her silver opals sparkling more than they already did. A dreamy expression enveloped her face, a small, sweet smile involved in it. His eyes widened, his cheeks flushed. He quickly turned his face away from the girl; how could he argue with her when she seemed and looked so happy?

"What are you thinking of now?" He inquired.

"I'm going to get them together." She answered full of determination. Kotarou blinked, making sure he heard that right, and then shook his head.

"Wai-wha-Nori!" He stuttered. She looked at him with no change in expression.

"What?"

"You can't be thinking about doing that yourself!"

"I'm not." After she mentioned those words, she stared intently at him. He didn't have to hear those words twice, he heard her loud and clear.

"No, NO!" He yelled standing up. "You're not bringing me into this!" Norie's eyes became saddened; her expression changing into a kicked puppy look.

"Please?" She begged. The brown haired boy avoided her gaze, knowing that if he looked, he was going to fall into her trap.

"No, this plan you have is going to end up horribly!" He shouted to her once more. There was no way he was going to get caught up in this, obviously, disastrous idea. He knew that he couldn't lie very well, nor was he great at being James Bond. In conclusion, this would never end well for him. While keeping his stance, one eye accidently opened. Only to see a very sorrowful mermaid looking back at him. Kotarou twitched at the sight; he started to feel guilty about not helping her, after all, he was the only one she really trusted. It made him feel like he had just betrayed his best friend, and he couldn't stand the thought of it. "Ugh, ok," He sighed slumping over. "I'll help." Norie was more than satisfied with what he said. She stood up and sprung forward, embracing him.

"Thank you." She said squeezing the slightly taller boy. Kotarou's face reddened at the sudden impact of affection; he hugged her back, but very lightly. Making sure he didn't cause pain to the maiden. After a few minutes, they heard the teachers calling everyone into the school. Recess was over. They both let go in synch and sprinted towards the teacher.

"So," Kotarou started, already exhausted from running. "What do you have in mind?" Norie, not out of breath, turned to him and replied,

"We'll talk about this during practice." He nodded as they reached their class; Kotarou didn't exactly know _how _to get two people in the same place at the _same _time, but knowing Norie, she was going to find a way anyhow.

After school ended, it was time for Norie's favorite part of the day; swimming lessons. Her and Kotarou raced there, with Norie winning, knowing that once they got inside, they had to go to separate rooms to change. Norie always tried to be the first one in the water, and there were many reasons why. She was able to think more clearly in the substance, and it gave her a sense of purity. Something that she couldn't feel anywhere else; it was her wonderland. However, a lot of times she wasn't the first one there, and she had to become a series swimmer. Today, everything was different. Today she had to become a spy, become secretive and sly, and more importantly, she had to know which was the right way, or the wrong way. Her mission was going to be difficult, but she was doing it for a good reason. If she couldn't accomplish this, she was certainly going to get-

"Nori-chan, what are you doing?" Norie blinked in realization; she wasn't a spy yet. _Yet_. "Daddy wants everyone to meet up." Still slightly confused, she walked over, with Kotarou by her side, to the group of kids that magically clumped together.

"Kids," Makoto started. "Starting today, there will be a new kid attending this swimming class. I want you to make him feel welcome." After he finished, he turned to a small boy against the wall. They saw him bend down, and some heard him whisper, "It's your turn." The kid nervously nodded and turned to face the rest of the class.

"Um," He began. "My name is Fuyuko Matsuoka, I came from Australia, and I hope you will like having me here." When the introduction ceased, the class welcomed him to both Japan and the swim school. Norie, on the other hand, squinted her eyes in suspicion; something was off about that new swimmer, he reminded her of…something. She couldn't put her finger on it, he was from Australia, so she obviously hasn't seen him before. His grapefruit orange hair, the way it hung to the side of his face, even the color of his eyes seemed familiar. She just couldn't think of why. What was it? This issue resulted in her staring/stalking this boy every time he wasn't paying attention. When both Norie and Kotarou were out of the water, Kotarou walked up to her to ask her the very question.

"Nori-chan, why do you keep staring at him?" He questioned whispering.

"He reminds me of something, I don't know what it is," She replied also whispering. Hearing that made Kotarou rethink the question over.

"What? There's no way you would have seen him!" Norie knew he was right, but his look was iconic. Where had she seen such a look before?

"Well, let's go."

"Wait, what?!" Kotarou quickly grabbed Norie's arm, halting her to a stop and causing her to turn around. On the verge of annoyance. "What are you doing?" Well, geez Kotarou, what do you think? She was going to go talk to him, duh! For some reason, Kotarou always tried to stop her from her ambitions, and trust me when I say, it happens all the time. She yanked her hand from his grasp and continued to walk towards her current headache.

"Hey." She called out, wanting to get the boy's attention. Clearly startling him, his head turned in surprise, staring at her with candy apple red eyes.

"H-hi," He stuttered. "Di-did you need something?" Kotarou approached the two at that moment, standing behind the raven in a shy matter.

"Yeah, why do you look like that?"

"Nori!" With a very confused Fuyuko, and a defensive Kotarou, Norie ignored her friend's scolding and instead waited for an answer.

"You remind her someone," Kotarou tried to simplify. "She just wants to know why, basically." Fuyuko shrugged, not knowing what to make of the pair.

"Well, I've been told that I look a lot like my dad but then there are others who say I look like my mom but I don't know which one I look like more because I think I look like me and I'm the only one that looks like me because there's only one of me. I've also heard that I look like my aunt Gou but I don't know how that's possible because my dad didn't marry her that would be creepy and-"Norie shushed his talking by putting her hand on his mouth, she had to comprehend what he just said. Dang, he can talk fast!

"Wait, Gou?" That name sounded like a name that she knew, and if she was correct, then this kid looked familiar for a reason.

"Yeah, she's my dad's little sister though she says that her name is Kou which it's not but she wants people to call her that but I don't think anyone ever-"Kou? That's what her dad said the lady's name was!

"Wait, wait! Your aunt is Kou?!" She asked frantically.

"How did you know?" Fuyuko inquired furrowing his eyebrows. He thought back to the words he was saying, then put his hand up to his mouth in embarrassment. "Oh." He commented in realization. The diamond eyed girl put her hands on the boy's shoulders.

"That means you know her, right?" Fuyuko, slightly creeped out, nodded to her question. She stared at the pinkett with purposefulness, her mind already kicking into gear. She turned to the brunette, her mind filled with ideas. "This is great." She said to him.

"Wha-what do you mean?" Kotarou questioned the girl; he could tell that whatever she was thinking involved the Matsuoka, and that made him feel even more uncomfortable.

"Yeah, what do you mean?" Fuyuko inquired, but soon regretted it. Norie turned to face him, a devious smirk on her face. Fuyuko gulped at the sight.

_-Timeskip-_

"So let me get this straight," Fuyuko stated to the two. After he was kidnapped, both Norie and Kotarou explained the situation, and by situation, I mean telling him that they were basically planning to force his aunt with her father. "You want _me_ to help _you_ get her father with my aunt?" They both nodded, Kotarou nervously, and Norie indifferently. "I don't get it, why do you want aunt Gou to be your mother I mean she's really nice and a great person but I'm pretty sure you can't just force two people together that's not how love works right? I'm don't think you can maybe if they were trapped together in the same room for years but I wouldn't know it never happened as far as I know and I'm not supposed to say that she had a bad relationship before so it would be more difficult to get her to fall in love with someone and-"

"Geez, do you ever breathe?!" Kotarou asked him, interrupting him in the process.

"Yeah, and daddy's a good person, he wouldn't hurt Miss Kou like someone else did." Norie assured.

"How did you know?" He inquired again. Again, he thought back to the words that he said, following with him placing his hand over his mouth. "Oh." He cracked a bashful smile, scratching his cheek. His smile was perky, and maybe a little benevolent. Kotarou and Norie both noticed that two of his top teeth were missing, creating a cute-ish atmosphere around him. "Sorry!" He apologized; probably for talking so much.

"Will you help?" Norie asked. Fuyuko fiddled with his hands, not knowing if this was a good idea or not. After all, he had just met the two of them, and the blue one was already asking him for a favor. Should he trust them? "Please?" Fuyuko thought harder. He admitted that his aunt needed someone in her life, someone better than the person that dumped her, and even if he didn't know this girl's father, she seemed like a pretty nice person to be around. With a smile plastered on his face, he made his decision.

"Sure, aunt Gou needs someone to love anyway, and I want to help make her happier!"

"Are you serious?" Kotarou questioned in disbelief. Norie smiled cutely, creating a rubescent cheeked Fuyuko.

"Thank you." She thanked the orange haired boy. Afterwards, she couldn't help but lunge forward. Spawning an awkward hug between Norie and Fuyuko. She couldn't be happier than she already was, she was too excited about starting the mission. Overall, she couldn't wait to see the results of her getting the two adults together.

"Y-yeah," The boy stammered. He cleared his throat. "You can, you know, let go now." She pushed herself off of him, causing him to fall over. "So, Norei?"

"Nor_ie_."

"Right, sorry, um…..what do we do first?" He asked. "I mean, how do we get them in the same place? We're six."

"Does your dad know where Miss Kou works?" She questioned him. Fuyuko nodded.

"Sure he does, why?" Then, both Kotarou and Fuyuko paled, as Norie snickered at the sudden thought. "Is this bad?" He whispered to jaded boy. He shakily nodded.

"Yep, it's bad."

**Done the chapter! It's not as long as the first, but I had to end it here for reasons not worth mentioning. I'm sorry for those who wanted some HaruGou in this chapter, but I had to tell this for story development. I promise there will be HaruGou in the next chapter though. :) By the way, a song I was listening to while writing this is, "Promise of a Lifetime" by Kutless. Of course, I listened to the nightcore version, but it's still a great song! So, thoughts so far? Was it rushed? Rate and review please! Thanks for reading, see ya milkshakes! :3 **


End file.
